Srinagar T20 League featuring Chris Gayle collapses after organisers vanish
The Indian Heaven Premier League (IHPL), a T20 event in Jammu and Kashmir, came to a sudden halt after organisers reportedly vanished, leaving behind unpaid hotel bills and confusion among players and staff.
The Indian Heaven Premier League (IHPL), a T20 tournament held in Jammu and Kashmir, came to an abrupt end over the weekend after a major controversy. As some reports suggest, some organisers involved in the event put some legendary players like Gayle, Martin Guptill, and other local players in trouble and left the city without even clearing the Hotel and other necessary bills.
The T20 tournament had some notable players like Chris Gayle, Thisara Perera, and Martin Guptill, with a bunch of promising Indian talents. Though the tournament was for the improvement of cricket culture in the heaven on Earth, Jammu and Kashmir, the reality was totally different, bitter, and chaotic. As soon as this happened, the next scheduled match on Sunday was immediately called off.
People who were there found difficulties contacting the organisers, and as a result, approximately 40 players were stuck in a hotel in Srinagar with payment uncertainty and other issues. This T20 tournament was planned to showcase the beauty of Kashmir and boost tourism, but the end result was tragic and poor, and raised questions over management credibility.
IHPL T20 in Kashmir Abruptly Ends Amid Major Controversy:
An English umpire, Mellissa Juniper said, “ Organisers have fled from the hotel. They have not paid the hotel, the players, or the umpires. We've reached an agreement with the hotel so players can go home. It's unfair to keep them here away from their families.”
According to staff at The Residency Hotel, the organisers had promoted the Indian Heaven Premier League as a major cricketing event for Jammu and Kashmir. They had booked around 150 rooms for a ten-day stay, showcasing the scale and ambition of the much-hyped tournament.
As per TOI, an official said, “ They promised a grand event with stars like Chris Gayle to boost Kashmiri tourism. On Sunday morning, we found they had disappeared without clearing dues.”
A few players, including Chris Gayle, left the hotel on Saturday after noticing irregularities with the organisers and the event’s management. Former India cricketer Parvez Rasool mentioned that several participants also experienced travel delays, adding to the growing uncertainty surrounding the Indian Heaven Premier League. He said, “ An English umpire had to contact the British embassy.”
Announced on September 18, the tournament generated excitement across Jammu and Kashmir. Team mentor Surinder Khanna described it as a “great opportunity for the region’s youth,” expressing hope that the event would help discover emerging talents similar to Umran Malik and Parvez Rasool from the valley.
Although big names like Chris Gayle initially drew some spectators, the crowd numbers soon dropped significantly. This decline forced organisers to reduce ticket prices, which in turn caused sponsorship troubles and several other challenges, adding to the growing issues surrounding the Indian Heaven Premier League.
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